Bicycle handle-bar.



No. 69|,830. Patented Ian. 28, I902. W. N. WHITELY & W. N. WH I'TELY, In.

BICYCLE HANDLE BAR.

(Application filed J 0.11:24, 1900.)

IV/Am- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIL LIAM N. NHITELY AND WVILLIAM N. HITELY, JR., OF SPRINGFIELD,

OHIO.

' BICYCLE HANDLE-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,830, dated January 28, 1902.

Application filed January 24, 1900. Serial No. 2,563. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,WILLIAM N. WHITELY and WILLIAM N. WHITELY, J r., citizens of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycle Handle-Bars; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referen'ce being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of refer: en'ce marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to bicycle handle bars; and it consists of the devices hereinafter described and claimed.

V Our invention comprises the independently vertically adjustable handle-barsfpivoted to the handle-bar post on a common center, and

- the longitudinalclamping-rod for the post expander-clamp, combined with the said post in such manner that it may both be manipulated to release, adjust, and secure the post within the steering-fork tube and maybe removed from the post independently and irrespective of the handle-bars and their clamping devices. It further comprises a post, two handlebars individually pivoted and adjustable thereon, andmeans for clamping said bars, said post beinglongitudinallyperforated from the top to one side of the pivot for the bars,

a clamping-rod in said perforation and removable therefrom independently of and past the pivoted ends of the bars, and an expander or clamp for the post actuated by said rod.

It further comprises a simple means by which independently-adjustable handle-bars may be Vertically adjusted within certain limits to any position and retain their vertical alinement.

In order to make our invention more clearly understood, we have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical eflect Without limiting our im provements in their useful applications to the form in which for the sake of illustration we have delineated them.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view,

partlyin seotion,of a form of bicycle handlebar construction showing the clamping means for the bars. Fig. 2 isa plan view of a form of bicycle handle-bar construction showing the means for maintaining vertical alinement of the adjustable handle-bars. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partlyin section, of the handle-bars and post of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, showing the removable clamping-rod and the clamping-expander actuated by the clampingrod by means of which the postis adjusted and clamped within the steering-fork tube, (not I shown,) also by dotted lines the extreme vertical adjustments of the handle-bars. 6

Referring to the drawings, P indicates the handle-bar post having a head 1. The post is adapted to be secured within the steeringfork tube, (notshown,) as by making its lower end expansible by slots, as shown by dotted lines at 14, and interiorly beveled or tapered,

as at S, and combining therewith a conical clamping-expander 3, adapted to expand said post by longitudinal or other movement when actuated by the clamping-rod 2: In the construction shown said rod effects the expansion and clamping of the post by longitudinal movement of the expander 3. To this end said rod is formed with a screw-thread 6, by Whichsuch movementis efiected. The clamp- 'ing-rod 2 turns loosely in the head 1 of the post and is held in position by a collar formed of its square head 7, which is adapted to be turned by an ordinary wrench, and it'will be seen that the head 7 is readily accessible for manipulation and that the rod 2 is removable upwardly through the head 1 of the post P. The post is thus secured within the steeringfork tube at any desired height of adj ustment independently of the handle-bars B B or their adjusting and securing means. It is obvious that any of the clamping means well known to the art may be used for securing the post in connection with our removable adjusting-rod 2, although we'prefer the con struction shown in drawings for clamping the post in the steering-fork tube.

We will now describe the means by which the handle-bars B B are supported andsecured.

Referring to the drawings, the post P is formed with a head 1, from which extends rearwardly the pivot 5, integral or rigid with the head 1. On the head 1 are formed corrugations 9, which engage corresponding corrugations l0,formed around the inner end of one ofthe handlebars. The innerends of the handle-barsB B pass over the pivot 5and are pivoted and supported thereon for the purposes of clamping and adjusting them. The handlebar member engaging with the post by means of corrugations 10 also engages by means of corrugations 11 with the corresponding corrugations 11 around the end of the other handle-bar member. The nut 4 screws upon the threads 13 of the pivot 5, thus securely clamping the bars in any desired position of adjustment. I

It is desirable to provide means whereby independently vertically adjustable handlebars of the common-center type may be separately and quickly adjusted with ease to the same vertical height without employing an expensive or complicated mechanism for that purpose. To this end the head 1 and the contiguous portions of the handle-bars are provided with indicatingmarks, appropriately distinguished, as by one or more of a series of numbers, as at 12. Where such series of marks are formed on the handle-bars, a single indicating guide-mark may be formed on the head 1 in asuitable position. It will be readily seen that upon turning the bars to a position in which like marks correspond one with the other on each handle-bar andwith the indicating guide-mark on the head their vertical parallelism will be maintained and that the annoyance of securing the handlebars at an unequal height of vertical adjustment will have been avoided. It will be understood,however,that we do not limit ourselves to the exact manner in which the indicating-marks are applied, as shown and described. The use of suchjscale, indicating,or guide marks for maintaining the same vertical height of adjustment in independently vertically adjusting handle-bars is one of the important objects of our invention.

We claim- 1. In a vertically-adjustable divided handle-bar construction, a handle-bar post having integral therewith a head, two verticallyadjustable handle-bars pivoted thereon on a common center, corrugations on the face of said head around said pivot-center for one of the bars, corresponding corrugations on one of said bars to engage the head-corrugations and means for clamping said bars and head together, a clamping-rod passing through an orifice common to both head and post independent of said bars and Wholly to one side thereof and engaging a clamping device located at the lower end of said post whereby said post may be vertically adjusted within the steering-fork tube for the purpose shown and described.

2. In an adjustable handle-bar construction, the combination of a handle-bar post having thereon an indicating-mark for a fixed guide for two handle-bars pivoted on said post,two independently-adjustable handle-bars pivoted as described each bar having a series of independent and corresponding marks thereon so arranged that upon the swinging of both bars upon the post to a position in which like marks on each bar will be in line with the guide mark on the post they will be parallel in their vertical height, and means for positively lockin g and clamping said bars and post together at any desired heightof vertical adjustment.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM N. VVHITELY. WILLIAM N. WHITELY, JR. Vitnesses:

H. N. Low, WM. H. DE LACY. 

